Reviews

Firelight Trio
Album: Midnight Followed
Label: Self Released
Tracks: 9
Website: https://firelighttrio.bandcamp.com/

Fittingly Firelight Trio's 2026 album MIDNIGHT FOLLOWED sees Gavin, Ruth and Phil playing seated around an arboreal fire pit with a very atmospheric Joseph Wright Of Derby chiaroscuro coming the flames and shrouded moon. Kim Ayres excellent photographs of the bucolic scene, with three musicians lost in the moment, sets up the Firelight Trio's music perfectly.

Following on from "Filthy Lucre" on the last album, MIDNIGHT FOLLOWED opens with a very stately "Dirty Lucre" opening a money themed set that continues with jaunty "Viridian Skies", "Storm In a Teacup" and "A Hatful Of Euros". The energy is impressive as is the way Firelight Trio move through the tunes. "Left Bank Reels" are a jaunty pair of tunes with the relaxed rhythm of intoxication as the three players around each other. Love the plucked string intro on this one and the way the music slowly builds. Sadly no hints of The Noveltones or The Vision On gallery music, the title did get my hopes up. The louche jazz vibe continues in "Sunday Jig / Ellen Galfords" with Phil Alexander playing gently swinging piano around the fiddle and nyckelharpa with the latter taking on the timbre of a cello. Paul's piano is cool jazz reflective again in the simply beautiful "Tune For Tomorrow". Gavin, Ruth and Phil perfectly suggest a hopeful, thoughtful reverie as we are lost in the music. The first tune in "Praying Mantis / The Plague Of Wasps" was written for a Yiddish music project and the accordion and flying fiddle retain its flavour. That wonderfully evocative 'growlbox' accordion leads "The Malmi Polka" written on a sunny veranda in Helsinki, the relaxed sunlight floods through the music. "The Plague Of Wasps" uses the fast-moving bows and accordion to suggest hosts of buzzing insects. "Jericho Bridge / The Darkest Hour / Just Before Dawn" are an interesting set of tunes inspired by Scotland, Jericho Bridge is the last bit of Dumfries as you heading north rather than Morse's Oxford. While the juxtaposition of the other titles suggests Emmylou Harris' Country ballad. The music uses Scots music forms with the combined instruments suggesting the pipers drone and call. Again the rich distinctive tone of the nyckelharpa shines through. "The Boy And The Bear / Midnight Followed" is sensuous and slow, with hints of Spanish fusion group The Gotan Project in the drifting and almost looping accordion in the first tune. "Midnight Followed" suggests late night reveries rather than a somnambulant drift to sleep. "Life On The Road / Six Weeks To Namest" recalls the excitements, ups and downs of touring in The Czech Republic. Listen to the energy and emotion of the fiddle, nyckelharpa and accordion. With a definite note of triumph as the trio's VW Camper Van finds the final parking space right outside the venue door.

Another set of interesting and achingly beautiful music with plenty for the ears and the feet. Picking one feature track was hard, I could of easily gone with the uplifting glow of "Jericho Bridge" or the piano on "Tune For Tomorrow".

Marc Higgins

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